1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a symbol display device and a game machine therefor, more particularly to the symbol display device that winning is determined by symbol combination upon a stop of rotating symbols and the game machine having the symbol display device.
2. Explanations of the Prior Arts
Recently, game machines, such as a slot machine, a pachinko machine, and the like into which a symbol display device is incoporated as a winning device are widely used.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,764 discloses a slot machine with a symbol display device of a reel-driven type that has nine reels with plural types of symbols. The nine reels are arranged thereon in matrix of three rows and three columns, and each reel is respectively driven by a motor. Also, a symbol display device of a video type which displays a simulated reel rotation of nine reels on an electronic display device, such as a LCD panel or a CRT (cathode-ray tube), is widely used. Such symbol display device of a reel drive type and a video type is incorporated into pachinko machines as well. In either case, whether there is a winning game or lost game is determined in accordance with symbol combination completed on a winning line upon a stop of symbols.
Generally, winning is obtained when the identical symbols are set on a winning line. The winning combination is called “the line winning”. JPA 2000-61033 discloses a symbol display device that, when “the line winning” is in reach state (two identical symbols stop on the winning line, waiting for the last identical symbol to be stopped), the winning line is illuminated by a color identical with the symbol of “the line winning”, for amusing a player, as well as informing the reach state. In this case, as each symbol is drawn by different colors in accordance with a rank of award, such as how much coins are paid out, the player can see what symbol makes the reach state in advance for instance, which enables the player to grasp the present game situation.
In addition to “the linewinning”, however, the symbol display device has other kind of winnings. When “the line winning” and the other winnings are simultaneously in reach state, it is necessary to illuminate the reach state of both the winning combination for completing the line winning and the other winnings (illuminating display windows to be a reach state or illuminating from the inside of the corresponding reels). If color illumination is reciprocally performed, this may confuse the player as lamp performance to suggest a game condition. Therefore it is hard to indicate the reach state to each winning clearly.
It is possible to utilize the above reach state display device in order to display the winning which is completed upon a stop of all reels. Likewise, in case of a display of the winning, it is difficult to display each winning distinguishable when plural winnings are completed.